Manufacture oh hat-bodies



Il IE T Arana oFFiCE.;

LEMUEL LYON, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

vIVIANUFACVITJ'RE 0E HAT-BODIES.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, LEMUEL LYON, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hardening Hat.- Bodies Composed of Fur and Cotton or other Proper Fibrous Matters; and I do hereby declare that the nature o-f my invention and the manner in which it operates are fully set forth and represented in the following specification, accompanying' drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof.

My invention or improvement is particularly applicable to the hardening of hat bodies when made or formed in any of the modes usually practised, or by any other proper method. The process of hardening t-he same as heretofore adopted has been very expensive and laborious in comparison with that employed by me, and hereinafter described, inasmuch as steam and hot air have generally been used in connection with the mechanism for producing thedesired effect and the hat body has been removed from the block upon which it was formed, thereby causing it to stretch and become more or less injured.

Figure l of the aforementioned drawings represents a top view of the mechanism by which I effect the hardening of hat bodies. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine. Fig. 3, is a vertical and central section of it, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the block or frustum upon whic-h the hat body is formed and kept during the operation of hardening itas will be hereafter described.

In Figs. l, 2 and 3, A denotes a solid block in the shape of a frustum of a cone. B is a hollow vessel made to correspond in shape with, and to receive within it, the conic frust-um or block A, as seen in Figs. l, 2. The vessel B should be made of such size with respect to the block A that when the latter is introduced within it, and their adjacent surfaces are made parallel to each other, there shall be a small space existing between them of about one fourth of an inch in width. The vessel B is supported upon a bed or plank C by a table E resting upon any suitable number of legs D, D. The block A is to have slight reciprocating or vibrating motions imparted to it in horizontal directions which may be effected by means of a connecting rod F which-works at one end upon a pinY L inserted in the top of the block A and at the other end upon an eccentric pin N inserted in the side of a circular plate Gr applied and affixed to lone end of a horizontal shaft H supported and revolving in suitable bearings at the tops of posts I, I, and put in revolution by a crank K, or in any other proper manner. Instead of the block A being made to move to and fro within the vessel B as described, it may be suspended wit-hin the said vessel and the latter be made to vibrate or move about it`with a short reciprocating motion. In either case a very trifling degree of motion will suflice to produce the effect of hardening. The outer conic surface of the block A need not move more than about one half an inch forward and back with respect to the contiguous surfaceI of the vessel surrounding it.

The process of hardening the hat body is as follows: After it is formed in any known manner, the fibers of fur or material or materiels to be hardened of which it is composed lay together or upon one another in a very loose or Hockey state. In such a state it is toA be covered by a damp or wet cloth made to fit over its exterior surface (or that which is to be placed in opposition Vwith the interior surface of the vessel) and to bind it closely down upon the external surfaceof the block A. In this state the whole is introduced into the vessel A, so that the external surface of the cloth shall rest in contact with the internal surface of the vessel which being done the block together with the hat body, and confining cloth upon it should be put in motion within the case or vessel B in the manner as before described. The short vibratory or reciprocating mot-ion so imparted to the block soon causes the fibers o-f fur, or fur and other material of which the hat body is composed t-o become densely compacted together or hardened in the desired manner and to the extent required.

What I claim as my invention and seek to secure by Letters Patent is- The aforesaid improvement by which I effect the hardening of a hat body-viz.;- by means of a conic frustum or block upon which the body is placed or formed and a damp cloth applied to the fibrous matter In testimony WhereofIhaVe hereto set-my upon the block7 in combination With a holsignature this twentieth day of January 10W Vessel D surrounding the Whole the A. D. 1846.

block A having a short reciprocating motion LEMUEL LYON. 5 upon its axis imparted to it when placed Witnesses:

Within the vessel B, and the Whole being R. H. EDDY,

made to operate togetheras above specified. GEO. H. BAILEY. 

